U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today slammed the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) announced return to the failed immigration policy of catch and release.
Last Tuesday, President Biden signed an executive order revoking former President Donald Trump’s ending of the controversial practice, which allows undocumented migrants to remain in the US while awaiting immigration proceedings.
Customs and Border Patrol said the shift in policy was result of three issues; the influx of migrants and children from Central America, Mexico’s refusal to take in families with children under 12, and the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the agency’s detention facilities and transportation capacity, Fox News reported.
“CBP has seen a steady increase in border encounters since April 2020, which, aggravated by COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing guidelines, has caused some facilities to reach maximum safe holding capacity,” CBP public affairs officer Rod Kise told Fox News.
“On top of a devastating pandemic that has wreaked havoc on the economy, shuttered small businesses, and left millions of Americans unemployed, we still have a humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border. Effectively returning to catch and release – as the Biden administration announced today – could very well result in the release of COVID positive persons into the U.S., which will exacerbate the dual border and public health crises by making Texas border communities less safe and further straining local resources.“
“It’s long past time for Congress to recognize the reality of our broken immigration system and put U.S. national security and the American people first.“
On Thursday, Sen. Cruz and 11 of his colleagues sent a letter urging President Biden to reassess and reverse his executive actions on immigration, which have led to increased illegal border crossings by unvetted and unvaccinated aliens.
In January, Sen. Cruz called on his colleagues to oppose DHS Secretary Mayorkas’ confirmation.